Why are road riders so different?

[Lleyt0n]

Theres heaps of rude people out there its just more of them have chosen to ride on the road but i think its a case of (i dont remeber who said this but) you see the guys who ride the small waves some are rude and arrogant but you see the guys who ride the big waves they are all super chilled niced guys, i think this has something to do with that statement most dhers are nice because they ride wat u could call a extreme sport while roadies there isnt really a inherit danger in it (maybe stacking at speed i dunno i dont ride road) if that made any sense wat so ever my job here is done

 

[tu plang]

Theres heaps of rude people out there its just more of them have chosen to ride on the road but i think its a case of (i dont remeber who said this but) you see the guys who ride the small waves some are rude and arrogant but you see the guys who ride the big waves they are all super chilled niced guys, i think this has something to do with that statement most dhers are nice because they ride wat u could call a extreme sport while roadies there isnt really a inherit danger in it (maybe stacking at speed i dunno i dont ride road) if that made any sense wat so ever my job here is done

I'll refer you to my good friend Matthew:

ITT: People who have no idea what they're talking about.

 

[nik_1974]

Who says the internet doesn't have useful information?

Hahaha new signature right there

 

[nik_1974]

i dunno i dont ride road

not much point replying then is there ride on any major road and deal with the crazy people who drive cars and you may change your opinion.

I'll refer you to my good friend Matthew:

Haha well said

 

[powley]

The modern SS, or gestapo are the pricks in some road bunches that bark and rave, even at riders not in their bunch!

I like that tag


whenever I have to ride on the road and a car comes up behind I almost always instinctively get across the left hand side as close as possible to the gutter. but the guys in Lycra think they own the shit and simply and stubbornly make the cars go round them on a tight road with plenty of cars coming the opposite way. It's a danger to both the the drivers and cyclist, but they do it to massage their bloody ego.

grow up

disclaimer: I know not all roadies are like this, sorry to the guys who have a lick sense of courtesy and maturity in them.

end rant

 

[a.davis12]

disclaimer: I know not all roadies are like this, sorry to the guys who have a lick sense of courtesy and maturity in them.

end rant

it works both ways.
i ride only on road. when on major roads (eg beach rd) i stick to the left, i dont ride with headphones and ill happily have a chat if someone will ride at the same pace (not faster not slower) as me. i also refuse to ride in bunches more then about 6 people, 1 because its safer and more easily fucknuckle free, and 2 because you actually get more exercise.

on smaller roads and city roads however i ride like i own the road (when i deem it necissary). the amount of times ive nearly been wiped out by ********** in SUVs who attempt to overtake while heading into a roundabout with a pedestrian island thing has taught me that. ill go into the middle of the lane 50m before an intersection to avoid that and if it slows miss whoever from brighton she can suck one.

but generally yes i am a courteous and aware(well im always aware) cyclist and it pains me to see the amount of shit other cyclists do.

*end nonsensical rant*

 

[smeck]

..........if that made any sense wat so ever my job here is done

None at all, though I'm not sure if it was because of your lack of comprehension, or my light headedness after reading the world's longest sentence. Stick to cliff jumping.

........but the guys in Lycra think they own the shit and simply and stubbornly make the cars go round them on a tight road with plenty of cars coming the opposite way. It's a danger to both the the drivers and cyclist, but they do it to massage their bloody ego.....grow up.........

While you're dishing out the insults, it's actually safer to "own the road". When there's room to sit off the road I'll do so, but otherwise I'll own the road. Before you tell me to grow up, go and do a defensive riding course for a motorcycle licence. That will teach you all about lane position and why it's safer to make cars overtake you, instead of them trying to sneak pass, misjudging the gap, and pushing you into the kerb.

I'm not a roadie by any sense, but I do ride road and the more time you spend on it the more you'll understand. 10 years on road motor bikes has also taught me a few things. It's only a danger if cars are impatient and won't wait until it's safe to overtake, but you have every right to be there and cars have every requirement to follow the road rules and overtake you properly. If everybody takes a deep breath, shares the road and gives way when required too, then nobody has to go to Hospital and nobody has to report anything to the Police.

it works both ways..........

Couldn't agree more.



I can't say I've ever looked at whether other people wear their sunglasses under or over straps? As for tosser's I've met them on the road, XC, everywhere really. Last month I did a bunch ride and the bloke in front of me more interested in chatting than riding, so he was weaving all over the place and constantly slowing and surging. In the end he opened a 4m gap in front of him so I went around and sat behind a rider that could hold pace and line. Two weeks ago I had lycra XC warriors overtaking without calling, get very indignant when I asked them to do so, and this was a point made very clearly during the riders brief because of the broad spectrum of riders involved that day. One rode past me and then 25m later just stopped in the middle of the track about 2m in front of me and got off. I guess because I was in shorts, not knicks like him, then there was no way I could ride the hill if he couldn't. There's tossers in all sports and in all disciplines of this sport. DJ kids trying to beat up some other kid for using "their" park, DH'ers that can't ride for shit but think they're extreme because Sam Hill can and he rides DH, its just people, and some people are tossers.

 

[C Dunlop]

Think about who you are and how you got to being the way you are, in your life, at this point in time.

Now, imagine that in the past there was some point of divergence (like in back to the future) and it turn out that you are now skinny, slow, wake up at 5am 4 days a week to wipe cream on your arse and ride a plastic bike. Add to this the fact that you tie your selfworth to whether your bottle cages match, and how clean your bartape is.

If this was you, wouldn't you be an arsehole too?

Seriously though, I know nice roadies, and I have met some arsehole MTB riders, I think it is just life... you tend to notice the arseholes because they piss you off and you just ride past the nice guys...

 

[elliotdhmcgeary]

Is it true that a triathlete is just a road rider with no ettiquette or bike handing skills?

My mother races Triathlons / Ironman's internationaly ... And yes, it's true.

 

[Pizzaz]

I like that tag


whenever I have to ride on the road and a car comes up behind I almost always instinctively get across the left hand side as close as possible to the gutter. but the guys in Lycra think they own the shit and simply and stubbornly make the cars go round them on a tight road with plenty of cars coming the opposite way. It's a danger to both the the drivers and cyclist, but they do it to massage their bloody ego.
end rant

Ummmm alternative view is that as a cyclist we have just as much right to be on the road as they have so why shouldn't they wait to pass? When you ride in the gutter it just encourages cars to squeeze past when there isn't really room. If you ride defensively (say about 1m out from the curb) then they have to take some action to go around you rather than pushing past like you weren't even there.

There is a lot of bad roadie bunch behavior out there but generally the people are pretty nice and its a real sense of community being out on a good bunch ride. Something about sitting and chatting with the guy next to you while cruising along at 35ks is quite fun.

There are knobs in every group (roadies have similar complaints about MTB cluelessness when we're on the road).

 

[b_S]

then get angry when you push past their fat, lycra covered, <20km/h slow ass. Or cut the corner on the cycle path forcing you into the dirt and dont even apologise.

They get angry for you passing them? You know this because you've been abused for doing so, or is it just an assumption.
As for getting cut off, maybe the rider in front assumes that noone would be silly enough to sit close on a cycle path - as they're for recreational cruising - and is riding as normal, you just haven't accounted for that.

looks at you strangely for wearing longish black socks or cant even hold a normal adult conversation with others because they are too busy checking their form in the reflection of shop windows???

Wow, pretty big assumptions there too.

I think the loser-ness of road bikers has to do with price point. True DH bikes can get expensive, but a top line road bike is crazy pricey. That usually reserves the sport for rich people with little manners or social skills.

Unlike DH though, road riding performance isn't reliant on technology (can't wait to be challenged on that statement). you can pick up a decent race-ready bike for well under $2k. Anyone that thinks paying more will make them faster needs a reality check... unfortunately that's where the bad attitudes are born, but bike elitism certainly isn't limited to road riding.

it's just people, and some people are tossers.

End of thread.

 

[a.davis12]

My mother races Triathlons / Ironman's internationaly ... And yes, it's true.

bahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[Dumbellina]

whenever I have to ride on the road and a car comes up behind I almost always instinctively get across the left hand side as close as possible to the gutter. but the guys in Lycra think they own the shit and simply and stubbornly make the cars go round them on a tight road with plenty of cars coming the opposite way. It's a danger to both the the drivers and cyclist, but they do it to massage their bloody ego.

grow up

Its no ego thing. Its the law.

Road rules says its up to the car overtaking the cyclist to make the overtaking move safely, not for the cyclist to give way or heed to the car. In any respect it's far safer for a rider to hold their line (and speed) in traffic than weaving in and out. [See road rules, 15 (bike and cars are both vehicles); 129 (all drivers must keep as far left as practicable); 140 (no overtaking unless it is safe to do so)].

I don't care that it upsets drivers because they have no understanding of the law.

 

[alexb618]

i have seen waaaaaaaaaaay more hero attitudes at DH races than at any form of road or track racing

having 'sick road bike parts' is all just a bit of ego stroking, the fast and slow guys will openly tell you that, and nobody is looked down on for giving their best shot on a cheap bike. try rocking up to your local DH event on a $800 rig and see how the 'sick mates' respond to it...

 

[nik_1974]

Ride slow and take up the whole bike path and ignore request to move over (now realise i have to fucking yell)

They get angry for you passing them? You know this because you've been abused for doing so, or is it just an assumption.
As for getting cut off, maybe the rider in front assumes that noone would be silly enough to sit close on a cycle path - as they're for recreational cruising - and is riding as normal, you just haven't accounted for that.

Being abused with the C-bomb and other expletives seemed to mean they were angry. When the cycleway is wider than a single lane on a road and clearly divided with markings but these guys took up the whole track what am i supposed to do. My point is why the agro. Chill out and show a bit of common sense. Some people just think the world revolves around them.

 

[dr_rob]

Hmm, lots of passion here.
My 2c:
Chill, and take a deep breath. As far as road 'ownership' and sticking to the rules of the road, my personal experience is that when I write your Coroner's report, there's nowhere on the form to mention whether you were in the right or not. It's simple physics. Cars always win.

Sounds like things are more aggro in the cities. Cycling, like any culture, has it's cliques. So what if my socks aren't the right length, or my jerseys are from teams that ceased to exist many seasons ago. The more riders on the road, the better. I'll always stop and give help, and have at times donated a spare tube, and once drove a dude to the closest LBS to get his bike fixed post catastrophic chain failure. I'm a roadie who is recent MTB convert.

If you want to compare sports, try paddling out at your local surf break and compare the welcomes you get out there to your local bike ride. At least when I get back from a ride I don't have to worry about slashed tyres or waxed windscreens.

 

[Warwick]

Everytime I ride Beach road, I think 'why the hell did I do this?'
So many of the weekend roadies seem to think we are all in some big invisible race, and that if they smile, or say ANYTHING or look in your direction that they are being weak, and it will subract from their level of cool.
My age group is the worst.... the 35 to 50's
I might stand out by wearing cheap-arse'd NON-team, non-co-ordinated lycra, and having hairy legs. But this is on purpose. The belly is not on purpose.
Ride mid-week, past Mordialloc by yourself, and other roadies by themselves will acknowledge you and be friendly. But that's the exception.
How many times have I passed some muscle guy by himself, riding 5 k's faster, only to find 10 minutes later he has been drafting me and will triumphantly pass me again (looking staright ahead, trying to look relaxed and controlling his breathing) without my changing pace and without so much as a nod!

But if you do finally crack a conversation with some roadie as often as not they are incredibly dull and often just dumb. Mediocre guys that are hero's (to themselves) when they are on the bike.

And whenever I am blatantly faster than some other road guy, and try to have a bit of a chat on the way past, I will hear a story about how it's his first ride in two months, or how he is recovering from some injury blah blah blah.... WHO CARES why you are slower!!!

But ya cross country, and everyone is up for a chat. I have ridden with endurance race winners more than happy to slow down to my pace and enjoy some company. MTBers will talk about YOUR bike, whereas roadies will talk all about their own!
Roadies, just have fun!

 

[Ham]

i have seen wankers at xc races too, when i train i train alone or with people who actually want to train not just hang out at the cafe the gold coast is bad for wankers.

 

[LTR]

Who the fuck goes and does a bunch ride with their Ipod in, looks at you strangely for wearing longish black socks or cant even hold a normal adult conversation with others because they are too busy checking their form in the reflection of shop windows???

It is clearly not the fact that you are wearing long socks, but it was actually because they were black (and not white) and probably not within 2cm of the main bulge of your calf.

6. The socks of the Euro Cyclist shall extend to within two (2) cm. of the main bulge of the calf muscle, and shall never extend further than one (1) cm. past said primary calf muscle bulge. All socks SHALL BE WHITE in colour with prominent logo placement.

 

[Techno Destructo]

whenever I have to ride on the road and a car comes up behind I almost always instinctively get across the left hand side as close as possible to the gutter. but the guys in Lycra think they own the shit and simply and stubbornly make the cars go round them on a tight road with plenty of cars coming the opposite way. It's a danger to both the the drivers and cyclist, but they do it to massage their bloody ego.

Mm hmm?

Here's a reason why this isn't a bad thing (not riding in the gutter). You are legally allowed to have a lane of the road to ride your bike. Now, of course, this has to be tempered with common sense for the situation you're in. But remember, if you ride in the gutter, you might be reinforcing some driver's perceptions that's the proper place for cyclists to be. Maybe even not on the road at all. As well, if you give a car an inch, there's a good chance they'll take a mile. So when you ride in the gutter, there still might not be enough room for a car to get by in the same lane. But instead of waiting for an appropriate time to move to the right and pass, that motorist will now squeeze past you while you're both moving at pretty high speeds because s/he thinks there's enough room in the lane for both of you when there might not be.

So it's not necessarily ego, but safety and forethought that makes cyclists maintain their place in the lane.

Does that make sense?

Of course, with everything... different situations apply... but we do need to think about the other side of the coin here....

*EDIT* Whoops... looks like a few people have said the same thing as me already... oh well... Maybe we've hammered the point home.

By the way... great post, smeck!